Brazed joint



March 1966 J. P RUTLEDGE BRAZED JOINT Original Filed Jan. 20, 1960 w w I 1 a A TTOIE'ME/ United States Patent 3,241,607 BRAZED JOINT Joseph P. Rutledge, Indianapolis, Ind, assignor to Stewart-Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Virginia Continuation of application Ser. No. 3,652, Jan. 20, 1%0, now Patent No. 3,140,533, dated July 14, 1964. This application June 5, 1964, Ser. No. 374,884-

2 Claims. (Cl. 165-166) This invention relates to a brazed and welded heat exchanger structure, including a brazed joint, and is a continuation of application Serial No. 3,652, filed January 20, 1960, now Patent 3,140,538, granted July 14, 1964.

Heretofore the width or depth of particular brazed joints, as hereinafter set forth in detail, have been greatly limited, the maximum in the case of aluminum being 7 to A of an inch. It is quite obvious that such a limitation has not permitted the fabrication of very heavy or strong structures.

Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide a brazed heat exchanger in which the joint is of greatly increased width or depth over that heretofore possible.

Another object is to provide brazed heat exchangers of a much stronger and heavier structure than could be previously made.

Another object is to provide heat exchanger cores of heavier construction which does not require an outer casing or structure and to which headers and other parts can be welded directly without destroying the brazed joints or requiring the use of intermediate and expensive structures.

Another object is to produce a heat exchanger construction of greatly reduced cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a fragmentary portion of a heat exchanger core prior to immersion in a molten flux bath with the top plate omitted;

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged fragmentary portion of the heat exchanger core of FIG. 1, one part thereof being illustrated in an exploded relation to the other parts;

FIG. 3 is a more greatly enlarged fragmentary showing of a pair of side bar members with an interposed brazing sheet prior to actual brazing and with the spaced discontinuities greatly exaggerated;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the parts after completion of the brazing process;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view illustrating the use of brazing wire in lieu of the clad sheet of FIGS. 1 to 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a largely schematic perspective view of a portion of an assembled heat exchange unit.

Referring to the drawing figures in detail, 1 and 2 are side bars of the heat exchanger core, being connected at the corners by dovetail joints 3. Other side bar members (not shown) are employed opposite members 1 and 2 to form rectangular outer frame portions of the heat exchanger core. Suitable openings or interruptions (not shown) are provided in the frame portions for ingress and egress of fluid passing through the exchanger. The side bar members of each frame portion or layer are positioned along associated edges of plate members 5.

Ice

Heat exchanger fin members 6 of corrugated form are also placed on plates 5 in proper position within the side bar members. The fin members run in the same or different direction in adjacent layers. To complete the core construction, a top plate (not shown) is placed above the upper members 1 and 2.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the makeup of the brazing plates or sheets 5 of FIG. -1. These sheets constitute a center portion 8 and upper and lower layers 9 and 10 of brazing filler alloy. The center portion 8 consists of substantially pure aluminum or of aluminum alloy, as is also the case with the other parts of the exchanger core. The two most commonly employed brazing alloys for the layers 9 and 10 consist of 6.8 to 8.2% silicon, 25% copper, .80% iron, 2% zinc with the remainder of aluminum, and 11 to 13% silicon, 3% copper, .8% iron, .2% zinc, .1% magnesium, .15% manganese with the remainder aluminum. The latter alloy is also commonly employed for brazing wire as 12 in FIG. 5. Considering all brazing alloys that can be used for either cladding, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4, or wire, as shown in FIG. 5, they would have the following constituents within the ranges indicated: 4 to 13% silicon, .25 to 4.7% copper, .8% iron, and from .1 to 10.5% zinc.

The melting points of the various parent metals such as constitute layer 8 in FIGS. 2 through 4, the entire plates 13 of FIG. 5, and the rest of the components of the exchanger core range from approximately 1025 to 1215 F. with the melting range of the preferred parent metal being from 1190 to 1210 F. The approximate melting range for the brazing filler alloy is from 960 to 1165" F. The melting points for the two commonly employed and preferred brazing filler alloys, previously mentioned, range from approximately 1070 to 1135 F. and from 1070 to 1080 F., respectively.

In accordance with the dip process of brazing, the components to be brazed are held together by suitable means and immersed in a bath of molten brazing flux. The composition of the prefer-red flux is 4 to 6% lithium chloride and 54 to 58% aluminum fluoride, with lbs. of dry flux required for a cubic foot of liquid. The approximate melting range of the flux is from 900 to 1033 F. The functions of the molten flux or salt bath are of course to deoxidize all surfaces to be brazed, provide a means of heating the constituent parts to be brazed, and prevent reoxidization of these parts while submerged in the molten bath.

The brazing alloy need not be employed in the form of clad layers 9 and 10 on parent metal 8 but may be used in the form of foil or powder, made into a paste and brushed on the upper and lower surfaces of the plate to be brazed, or wire. The use of foil or powder is necessary where plates to be brazed are of thicknesses which are not provided with cladding. The use of Wire is illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein wires 12 are held in position along the junctures of side bar members 1 and 2, and plates 13, the latter being entirely of parent metal. Additional wires 12 are also placed at the upper and lower junctures of the fins with the plates 13, as clearly indicated in the figure.

In accordance with dip brazing, upon immersion of the component parts in the hot flux bath and the resultant heating of these parts up to brazing temperature, the brazing alloy forming either the clad layers, foil, powder or wire melts and flows between the members being brazed. Prior to the flowing of the brazing alloy, the

flux has deoxidized and cleaned the surfaces to be brazed.

As mentioned in the preamble of the specification, the width of aluminum members, such as side bars 1 and 2, which heretofore have been brazable by the dip process, has been limited to of an inch to A of an inch. In accordance with the present invention, members of many times greater width may be brazed. For instance the side bar members of the heat exchanger core illustrated are of an inch width. Still wider members may be effectively brazed according to the invention, even up to widths of several inches.

In accordance with the preferred form of the invention, spaced, local discontinuities are provided along the nterface, or face to be brazed, of the side bar members, as shown. These discontinuities are shown on both sides or interfaces of the bar members and are in the form of grooves 16 below the surface each flanked by adjacent ridges 17 above the surface. Further, the discontinuities are shown to extend across the width of the side bars normal to the inner and outer parallel edges of the members. The discontinuities are formed by any suitable means as by striking or pressing the grooves 16 below the normal contour of the surface, and as exaggerated in FIGS. 3 and 4 to cause thereby the slight amount of material or ridges 17 to be raised above the normal surfaces. The depth of these grooves for use on the heat exchanger core side bars is of the order of .005 of an inch. The equal center line spacing of these grooves for the same use is of the order of of an inch. Although the opposite interfaces of the bar members are flat and parallel, matching the flat interfaces of the plates with the plate 2 having the discontinuities defines a plurality of channels or valley spaces 18 between the adjacent discontinuities and the spaced surfaces.

The function of these discontinuities is to provide channels for the flow of flux to all parts of the surfaces to be brazed to assure a good brazed joint throughout the entire extent thereof. The spacing and/or depth of these grooves and channels would vary according to the width of the members to be brazed, the cardinal requirement being that the grooves and channels permit flux flow throughout the entire area of the interfaces while the parts to be brazed are stacked solid on the ridges 17 during the course of the process. It is also pointed out that the depth of the grooves and channels must not be so great that cladding or other forms of brazing alloy cannot entirely fill the same during the brazing process. Stating it another way, the amount of brazing alloy, in whatever form it is used, must be suficient to entirely fill the grooves and channels to form a brazing filler throughout the entire extent of the interfaces being brazed.

The grooves and channels preferably run normal to the edges of the side bars l and 2 because this forms the shortest route for the inflowing flux to assure more uniform and thorough coverage of the interfaces by the flux for a given spacing between the surfaces. Thus, although the discontinuities are shown running across the bars normal to the longitudinal edges thereof, they do not necessarily have to run this way. For instance, where it is desired to braze a component which is relatively short, a single groove or several may be formed along the length of the member rather than across the same, if desired.

Even though the discontinuities are shown extending entirely across the side bar members, it may be necessary or otherwise desired in other brazed joints to have each discontinuity extend from only one side or end.

While the brazing of longitudinal surfaces of members has been described in connection with the present invention, the brazing of end surfaces of greater width and/or depth than heretofore known is also possible under the invention by the use of one or more discontinuities suitably disposed.

It is appreciated that by the use of much wider side bar members 1 and 2 for the heat exchanger core a great deal more strength is had by the frame members forming the core than has heretofore been possible with the exceedingly thin edge members. Also, and of greatest significance, header members and other parts may be welded directly to the heat exchanger core employing the present process Without destroying the brazed joints or otherwise damaging the core. This is for the reason that the heavier side bar construction rapidly conducts away the heat in excess of the melting point of the brazing metal during the welding process so as not to melt the brazed joints in the area of the welding. Further, because of increased strength of the core employing the present process, an outer casing is not necessary which, together with the direct welding of the header and other members rather than the previous practice of employing additional intermediate members, greatly reduces the overall cost of heat exchanger constructions.

In FIGURE 6 a portion of an assembled heat exchanger illustrating conventional paths of fluid ingress and/or egress is indicated generally by the reference character 30. The heat exchanger comprises a plurality of side bars l and 2, similar to those shown in FIG URE l, stacked in respective rows indicated at 34, 36, 38 and 39 respectively, with separator plates 5 shown between the respective rows. The corrugated fin structure 6 is omitted for clarity in illustration. It will be noted that the respective alternate rows 34 and 38 are provided with openings or fluid passageways 40 and that rows 36 and 39 are provided with fluid passageways 42. It will be understood that when the corrugated members 6 are included in the structure, they will have their ends spaced somewhat from the bars, in the direction of their corrugations, as is apparent in FIGURE 1. Such spacing provides communication between the various corrugations of a given member 6 and its associated fluid passageways 40 and/ or 42. The openings 4-0 communicate in common with a respecti e header 44 welded at 46, for example, to the side bars so that fluid may either enter or leave the space between alternate pairs of separator plates 5. The openings or fluid passageways 42 communicate in common with a header 48 welded as at to the side bars 2. Thus fluid is either transmitted or withdrawn from the heat exchangers through respective openings by means of the common headers 44 and 48 welded to the outside of the side bars for establishing a heat exchange relationship between the fluids.

Although a heat exchanger core and specific groove spacing, depth, and disposition has been disclosed, it is not desired to be so limited. The invention is accordingly applicable to brazed joints and similar methods of joining metal members generally. It is accordingly desired to be limited only by the terms of the appended claims read in the light of the broad spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heat exchanger having welded headers for passing fluids in heat exchange relationship with each other, a heat exchanger core comprising a plurality of thin separator plates defining fluid passageways in communication with respective headers, a plurality of corrugated fin members disposed between adjacent plates to define a plurality of fluid passages in each of said fluid passageways, a plurality of bar members of considerably thicker section than said plates disposed between adjacent plates, each of said bar members having opposed surfaces, a plurality of elongated spaced-apart discontinuities in said surfaces extending between opposite edges of said surfaces with each discontinuity being substantially smaller in cross section than the spacing channels therebetween, each discontinuity including at least one ridge extending above the normal bar member surface, brazing alloy surface cladding on the opposite faces of said separator plates, said ridges engaging the respective cladding and being in juxtaposition to said plates whereby the brazing alloy cladding is disposed in said channels and between said ridges and said plates so as to provide brazed joints of solid cross section throughout the entire extent of the interfaces between said separator plates and said bar members, said bar members being of sufficient size and said solid cross section being of suflicient width whereby to dissipate heat incident to Welding of said headers to said bar members without material damage to said brazed joints.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein each discontinuity further includes a groove and a second ridge extending respectively below and above said normal surface,

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Karmazin 29-503 X Modine 165-166 X Karmazin 29-503 X Simpelaar 165-160 Hryniszak 165-166 Pepper et a1. 29-1573 said groove being disposed between said second ridge 10 ROBERT OLEARY, Examiner- CHARLES SUKALO, Examiner.

and the first mentioned ridge. 

1. IN A HEAT EXCHANGER HAVING WELDED HEADERS FOR PASSING FLUIDS IN HEAT EXCHANGE RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, A HEAT EXCHANGER CORE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF THIN SEPARATOR PLATES DEFINING FLUID PASSAGEWAYS IN COMMUNICATION WITH RESPECTIVE HEADERS, A PLURALITY OF CORRUGATED FIN MEMBERS DISPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT PLATES TO DEFINE A PLURALITY OF FLUID PASSAGES IN EACH OF SAID FLUID PASSAGEWAYS, A PLURALITY OF BAR MEMBERS OF CONSIDERABLY THICKER SECTION THAN SAID PLATES DISPOSED BETWEEN ADJACENT PLATES, EACH OF SAID BAR MEMBERS HAVING OPPOSED SURFACES, A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED SPACED APART DISCONTINUITIES IN SAID SURFACES EXTENDING BETWEEN OPPOSITE EDGES OF SAID SURFACES WITH EACH DISCONTINUITY BEING SUBSTANTIALLY SMALLER IN CROSS SECTION THAN THE SPACING CHANNELS THEREBETWEEN, EACH DISCONTINUITY INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE RIDGE EXTENDING ABOVE THE NORMAL BAR MEMBER SURFACE, BRAZING ALLOY SURFACE CLADDING ON THE OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID SEPARATOR PLATES, SAID RIDGES ENGAGING THE RESPECTIVE CLADDING AND BEING IN JUXTAPOSITION TO SAID PLATES WHEREBY THE BRAZING ALLOY CLADDING IS DISPOSED IN SAID CHANNELS AND BETWEEN SAID RIDGES AND SAID PLATES SO AS TO PROVIDE BRAZED JOINTS OF SOLID CROSS SECTION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE EXTENT OF THE INTERFACES BETWEEN SAID SEPARATOR PLATES AND SAID BAR MEMBERS, SAID BAR MEMBERS BEING OF SUFFICIENT SIZE AND SAID SOLID CROSS SECTION BEING OF SUFFICIENT WIDTH WHEREBY TO DISSIPATE HEAT INCIDENT TO WELDING OF SAID HEADERS TO SAID BAR MEMBERS WITHOUT MATERIAL DAMAGE TO SAID BRAZED JOINTS. 